Before I set out on any trip, whether driving, taking the bus, cycling or walking, I have to plan my route. I will know exactly when I will leave, which streets I will take to get there, what I will do once I get there and when I will leave. If you can believe it, it helps me relax about the trip:) From here on in, I will refer to it as "the plan".
If I am driving, parking is the hardest part of the planning process. Travelling to the mall or to get groceries does not pose a problem to "the plan". Malls and grocery stores provide ample parking because they assume that you will buy A LOT of stuff, thus making sure there is sufficient amount of room for you to park your Escalade or Hummer. However, if I am going downtown, parking is a little harder to come by. Sure there are lots where you can park all day for $6.50 or, but usually "the plan" does not involve staying all day, so street parking is much more desirable. Plus, I am cheap and would much rather try to find a spot on the street for $1-2 instead of waste precious change on a lot machine.
So, I usually plan the street where I will park, but the whole way there, I am worrying:
Will there be a spot? What if I accidentally park by a fire hydrant? What if my windows get smashed in? What if my car is stolen? What if my errands take longer than 1 or 2 hours? What if there are NO spots? What if I get caught up in traffic snarls due to construction or rush hour traffic?? That will TOTALLY throw "the plan" out of whack!
And if I don't find a spot where I was hoping to find a spot, I seriously consider giving up and going home. I know, I know, it's ridiculous, but the thought usually does cross my mind:) Usually, however, my stronger, stubborn personality traits kick in and I drive around the block and find a different place to park.
And in case you are wondering, parallel parking doesn't really freak me out at all. As long as the spot is big enough:)
